Best Parking Apps for Los Angeles in 2026: Compared

ParkWhiz and SpotHero are the two biggest names in parking apps, and they work similarly. Both let you search for parking garages and commercial lots near your destination, compare prices, and reserve a spot in advance. They're great for finding discounted rates at DTLA garages ($15-$25 vs. the drive-up rate of $30+) and they cover most major US cities.

The downside: their inventory is almost entirely commercial garages and lots. You won't find private driveways, residential spots, or neighborhood parking on either platform. Prices near high-demand venues (SoFi, Dodger Stadium, Crypto.com Arena) are often only slightly cheaper than the venue's own lots. And neither platform offers EV charging filtering or local host reviews.

ParkMobile solves a different problem: paying for street parking meters without coins. It's integrated with the City of LA's parking meters, so you can start and extend your meter session from your phone. It also covers some off-street lots. If you park at meters frequently, ParkMobile is a must-have.

However, ParkMobile doesn't help you find parking — it just helps you pay for it once you've found a metered spot. It doesn't offer reservations, private spots, or any way to guarantee availability. Think of it as a utility app for meters, not a parking discovery platform.

Parkzy fills the gap the other apps leave open: private, residential, and neighborhood parking. Instead of commercial garages, Parkzy connects you with local homeowners and small lot operators who rent out driveways, garages, and private spaces. This means spots in neighborhoods that commercial apps don't cover — the streets around SoFi Stadium, the hills near Dodger Stadium, residential areas near LAX, and college-adjacent neighborhoods near USC and UCLA.

Prices on Parkzy are typically 40-70% cheaper than commercial garages and official venue lots. Every spot has photos, verified reviews, and exact location details. You can filter by EV charging, covered parking, and 24/7 access. And because you're parking in a real neighborhood, you're not competing with 10,000 other cars to exit a parking structure after the event.

The honest answer: keep all of them. Use ParkMobile for meter payments, ParkWhiz or SpotHero when you need a guaranteed garage spot in a commercial district, and Parkzy when you want the cheapest option near a venue, airport, or high-demand neighborhood. Each app is best at something different.

That said, if you're parking near any event venue, airport, or university in LA, Parkzy is almost always the cheapest and most convenient option. Private spots beat garages on price, exit speed, and overall experience. Try it free — search your destination on the explore page and see what's available.